The Produce Marketing Association hosted Fresh Connections: Floral Anaheim on June 8, the first of its two U.S. regional events this year designed to help professionals in the mass-market floral supply chain gain insights into trends and network to increase sales. Around 83 people attended the Anaheim, CA, event and PMA’s second event, Fresh Connections: Floral Miami, is scheduled for July 13. Joe Bischoff, senior vice president at Cornerstone Government... Read more

The California Association of Flower Growers and Shippers’ Fun ‘N Sun Floral Convention Aug. 9-12 at the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort in Carlsbad, CA, will be four days devoted to California flowers and the floral industry, according to the association’s website. Under the banner “Still Blooming Through the Ages After 75 Years,” the event marks an important anniversary for the CalFlowers organization and it boasts “it is the largest... Read more

The Society of American Florists 133rd annual convention will meet at the Breakers in Palm Beach, FL, Sept. 6-9 and it promises to provide attendees with “world-class business training, powerful connections and creative inspiration,” according to a news release. Jamie Notter“One of my favorite benefits of SAF membership is the annual convention,” said Martin Meskers, owner at Oregon Flowers in Aurora, OR, and president at SAF, in a written... Read more

The Southern California Fresh Produce & Floral Council Expo, “Get in the Game!” will meet on July 18 at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, CA, and will feature a Floral Design Contest, which is open to designers with any level of experience. Every contestant will be provided with a mystery box of supplies at 10 a.m. and a theme will be announced at the event. Awards for first, second and third place in categories for different experience levels will... Read more

American Grown Flowers were front and center May 4 in the Grand Ballroom of the Washington Hilton in Washington, DC, at the 105th First Lady’s Luncheon honoring Melania Trump. This springtime tradition is hosted annually by the Congressional Club, which was founded in 1908 and is made up of spouses of members of the House, Senate, and Supreme Court. Since 1912, the Congressional Club has honored the current first lady of the United States at this event, which... Read more

The Wholesale Florist & Florist Supplier Association’s 2017 Management Institute will take place Aug. 1-4 at the Embassy Suites Denver Downtown and it is filling up fast, according to the association’s website. The three-day event includes educational programming, networking opportunities, and WF&FSA’s Emerging Leaders Road Trip, where participants will visit some of top wholesale, event, retail, and production facilities in the Denver... Read more

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has found that indoor air pollution can be two to five times higher — and in some cases 10 times higher — than outdoor air, due to airtight buildings and improper ventilation, according to a news release. This can even lead to “sick building syndrome” -- a situation where building occupants experience acute health effects linked to time spent in the building. “These findings are of particular... Read more

“I don’t think that green plants are ever going to go out of style,” Bradley Gaines, director of floral at United Supermarkets/Market Square in Lubbock, TX, told The Produce News. “Everyone’s talking about fresh air and trying to come up with different ways to sell more green plants.” Costa Farms in Miami has created one way with its collection of ultra-tough houseplants that will appeal to consumers who feel they are lacking... Read more

The Horticultural Research Institute, the research affiliate of AmericanHort, has released Plants Bees Like Best, a new publication providing research-based recommendations for supporting bee health. This resource is the most recent addition to the ongoing pollinator-health tools provided by HRI, according to a news release. “The industry asked us for research-based plant recommendations for pollinator supportive plants,” said Jennifer Gray, research... Read more

“It was our biggest day ever!” Ashley Dimmit told The Produce News, as she described Mother’s Day at the Hy-Vee store in New Hope, MN, where she manages the floral department. “The weather was beautiful and we were so busy — the customers just kept coming.” Other supermarket floral directors I contacted after the holiday shared Dimmit’s enthusiasm. “Mother’s Day was great,” Bradley Gaines, director of... Read more

What began Memorial Day weekend 2011 as a grassroots movement at Arlington National Cemetery to honor those who have served our country has grown into a floral tribute campaign at over 20 cemeteries across the U.S. The Memorial Day Flowers program originated at ANC in Arlington, VA, with 10,000 roses donated by sponsors and in 2017 more than 250,000 sponsored roses were placed on veterans’ gravesites throughout the country. RallyPoint.com, an online network... Read more

Today’s consumers have a multitude of choices when buying floral products. Traditional brick-and-mortal retail shops, big box stores, online retailers, street corner vendors and supermarket floral centers are all competing for their business. So how can you stand out and attract more customers? Having the right product mix, fresh quality, high-perceived value, and a “friendly smile in every aisle” (thanks, Hy-Vee) will give you an edge over your... Read more

Since 2015, Debra Prinzing, creator of Slowflowers.com , an online resource that connects consumers with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers, has staged a weeklong celebration of domestic flowers in order to raise consumer awareness and unite America’s flower farmers with the U.S. floral industry. Last year, that effort generated more than 1.3 million social media impressions in a single month on Twitter and Instagram, according to a news release. Prinzig... Read more

minneapolis — The Minneapolis Institute of Art once again celebrated the arrival of spring April 27-30 by pairing timeless art with thousands of flowers at the 2017 Art in Bloom festival-fundraiser. Now in its 34th year, the four-day event showcased 165 fresh floral arrangements inspired by the institute’s art collection and also highlighted a fashion show organized in conjunction with Fashion Week Minnesota. “Art in Bloom and MIA provide a strong... Read more

The U.S. Postal Service has unveiled two new postage stamps — the Celebration Boutonniere and the Celebration Corsage — both arranged by floral designer Carol Caggiano, a member of the Society of American Florists, and photographed by Renee Comet. “We had several conference calls regarding what they [USPS] were looking for, style, color, etc.,” said Caggiano, who has served on the SAF board of directors and is a SAF Tommy Bright Award winner,... Read more

The American Institute of Floral Designers’ National Symposium July 1-5 in Seattle will offer four hands-on learning experiences, according to a news release. The interactive sessions are designed for everyone and are especially great for those seeking to gain more experience or looking to become certified. The 90-minute classes are a combination of lecture/demonstration and hands-on application and are taught by leading floral artists. Pre-registration is... Read more

The Michigan Floral Association honored its 2017 award winners at the Great Lakes Floral Expo in Grand Rapids, MI. Each year the MFA Awards and Nominations Committee is responsible for soliciting and reviewing award nominations, according to the MFA website. The committee sends all qualified nominations to a panel of independent judges who complete an evaluation form for each nominee. The committee totals the points received for each candidate nominated in a specific... Read more

Under the banner “Get in the Game!” the Southern California Fresh Produce & Floral Council Expo is slated for July 18 at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, CA. Hundreds of suppliers will showcase their upcoming promotions, latest products and innovative packaging during this one-day event in order to help you grow your business. “We are seeing a higher percentage of floral booths in the show,” Carissa Mace, FPFC’s president, said.... Read more

The first Produce Marketing Association Fresh Connections: Floral event was held in Miami in 2015. On July 13, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., the combination of education sessions and networking breaks known as Fresh Connections: Floral will return to Miami once again. Attendees will include floral growers, importers, exporters and wholesalers, floral buyers from major grocery chains and retail, potted plant growers, importers and exporters, floral industry solution providers... Read more

The Florida Nursery, Growers & Landscape Association Industry Awards Selection Committee announced the “best of the best” for its top six industry awards. The recipients will be celebrated at the FNGLA Convention June 23-24 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. According to a news release, the winners for 2017 are as follows: Hall of Fame Inductee: Gene Batson, owner at Batson Greenhouses in Mount Dora, FL, retired. Batson’s passion and expertise as a... Read more